Sleep is not only important, it is critical for our wellbeing. Most of us go through three to five rapid eye movement (REM) cycles every night, with each cycle lasting around 90 minutes. There are five phases to each cycle, we go deeper and deeper into our sleep with each phase, the last phase is our deepest sleep and is when we (mostly) dream.

What are dreams? For the most part; they are the last thing on our mind as we go to sleep, the day's events, and/or our fears & insecurities. The challenge that scientists have with interpreting our dreams is that our dreams aren't matter-of-fact, they are distorted because of the way our brain functions when we are asleep.

It is no secret that hard cheeses will give you bad dreams, soft cheeses, particularly blue cheese, may give some people dreams similar to an LSD trip. There's something to look forward to tonight! Being too hot will also give you bad dreams.

"But what about the other things that happen to us when we sleep" I often get asked questions in my presentations. Let's have a look at a few of them now;

Lucid Dreaming

Have you ever had a dream where you knew you were dreaming during your dream? This is called a lucid dream. Research has shown that lucid dreaming is accompanied by an increased activation of parts of the brain that are normally suppressed during sleep. Lucid dreaming represents a brain state between REM sleep and being awake.

Some people who are lucid dreamers are able to influence the direction of their dream, changing the story so to speak. While this may be a good tactic to take, especially during a nightmare, many dream experts say it is better to let your dreams occur naturally.

Teeth Clenching/Grinding

Known as bruxism, it can be associated with factors such as anxiety, stress, too much caffeine or sleep apnea. To reduce bruxism you can either; reduce the influencing factors, sleep on your side, or use a medical aid such as a cream or mouthguard.

Sleep Talking

Known as somniloquy, around 50% of children aged 3 to 10 talk in their sleep and 5% of adults do so. It is often thought to occur during the dream phase however this is yet to be completely confirmed. Most often, sleep talking is harmless, on very few occasions it may be caused by an underlying issue. Sleep talking makes no sense so don't take exception if the sleep talker says something inappropriate or offensive. There is no 'cure' for sleep talking as such, because it is mostly harmless. If the sleep talking is violent or causing issues it is best to see a sleep specialist.

Sleep Walking

Termed somnambulism, It is much more common in children than adults and is more likely to occur if a person is sleep deprived. . It is a common misconception that a sleepwalker should not be awakened. In fact, it can be quite dangerous not to wake a sleepwalker. The onset or persistence of sleepwalking in adulthood is common and is usually not associated with any significant underlying psychiatric or psychological problems.

Common triggers for sleepwalking include sleep deprivation, sedative agents (including alcohol), febrile illnesses, and certain medications. Treatment for sleepwalking in adults may include hypnosis. In fact, there are many cases in which sleepwalking patients have successfully treated their symptoms with hypnosis alone. Also, pharmacological therapies such as sedative-hypnotics or antidepressants have been helpful in reducing the incidence of sleepwalking in some people.

Sleep Eating

Sleep related eating disorder (SRED) episodes always occur in an “out of control” manner. They tend to occur when you are only partially awake. Foods that are high in calories tend to be eaten the most. It is common to eat or drink thick and sugary foods such as peanut butter or syrup. 

Other sleep disorders that can be closely linked to SRED include the following:

  • Restless legs syndrome

  • Periodic limb movement disorder

  • Obstructive sleep apnea

  • Irregular sleep-wake rhythm

  • Sleep related dissociative disorders

People with sleep eating disorder often:

  • Have repeated episodes of “out-of-control” eating and drinking during the time when they sleep

  • Eat strange forms or combinations of food

  • Eat or drink inedible or toxic substances

  • Have eating episodes that disturb their sleep, causing insomnia. As a result, their sleep is not refreshing or you are very tired during the day

  • Injure themselves

  • Do something dangerous while getting or cooking food

  • Have a loss of appetite in the morning

  • Have their health decline from eating foods that are high in calories

It is also important to know if there is something else that is causing your problem. It may be a result of one of the following:

  • Another sleep disorder

  • A medical condition

  • Medication use

  • A mental health disorder

  • Substance abuse

Sleep Paralysis

According to a 2012 study, two powerful brain chemical systems work together to paralyse skeletal muscles during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. According to the study, this finding may help scientists better understand and treat sleep disorders, including narcolepsy, tooth grinding, and REM sleep behavior disorder.

If you frequently have sleep paralysis then it is important to seek expert advice.

Night Terrors

Sleep terrors are episodes of screaming, intense fear and flailing while still asleep. Also known as night terrors, sleep terrors often are paired with sleepwalking. Night terrors differ from nightmares in that the person having the night terror remains asleep whereas we will wake from a nightmare and recall the bad dream.

Sleep terrors can be caused by sleep deprivation and extreme tiredness, stress, disruption to patterns of sleep, fever, or triggered by an underlying medical condition. Again, seek expert assistance if night terrors are persistent.

Predictive Dreaming

There are many examples of situations where a dream came true or was telling of a future event. When you have a dream that then plays out in real life, experts say it is most likely due to:

  • Coincidence

  • Faulty memory

  • An unconscious tying together of known information

However, sometimes dreams can motivate you to act a certain way, thus changing the future. For me, this still doesn't explain the high level of 'visions' that some people have, particularly in indigenous peoples.

We all need a good night sleep and for most, we are doing so. If you are having trouble with getting to sleep or staying alseep please reach out and this document may be able to help - https://www.warninternational.com/contact.

Let's talk!

Our Valued Clients

To see a full list of our clients please click on the images above